4^20 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



bullock was not white, because this colour is the worst, according 

 to Mascall, who writes — "For oxen to labour, the blacke ox and the 

 red ox are best, and the browne or greezeled ox are next; the white 

 ox is worst of all colours." Mascall further writes — "Wilde oxen 

 are better to beare a burden then to labour, for they are never 

 so free nor so strong to drawe and labour as the tame oxen are." 

 Wild oxen here seems to mean "pack oxen." Once again the 

 various races are noted, Mascall stating that there are "many 

 diuersities in the beasts, as in Italy, in Capam, there they haue 

 white oxen, and of small bod)'-, yet verie good to labour in the 

 plough and till the ground. Also, in the Dutchy of Urben, there 

 are great oxen, both white and red, mightie of body and of a 

 great courage. In Tuscane and about Rome the oxen are well 

 set and thicke, and strong made to labour. Likewise in the Alpes 

 and hils of Burgony they be strong and can well endure all 

 labour, and faire likewise withall." 



I think Mascall's references to races of white oxen show that 

 those familiar with English cattle in his day were also familiar 

 with the prominent white breeds on the Continent. As I note 

 further on, during this century the flesh of a "white wild ox" 

 was considered in England a suitable present for one nobleman 

 to give another. 



Ed. Topsell, in his Historie of Foure-footed Beasts, gives 

 illustrations of the skull and horns of the " Bonassus," according to 

 the three drawings of " that excellent Phisitian of England, lohn 

 Cay." These are the skulls and horns of the Bos jjrimigenius, 

 and are similar to those given by Gesner. Of the bull, Topsell 

 writes — " They are plentiful in most countries, as is said in the 

 discourse of oxen ; but the best sort are in Epirus, next in 

 Thracia, and then Italy, Syria, England, Macedonia, Phrigia, and 

 Belgia." Of the " Ure-ox," which is " of a reddish colour," he 

 writes that "they are a kind of wilde oxen, not differing from the 

 vulgar but in their colour, and a spotted strake or line, which 

 goetli al along their backs; and those ure oxen are kept as it 

 were in parkes and chases." Here we have the distinct statement 

 that the oxen kept in "parkes and chases" were "of a reddish 

 colour." 



In Gervase Markham's Cheajye and Good Husbandry we get 

 evidence as to the colour of " English cattell." From the way he 



